Judge’s Son, 20, Shot Dead, Husband Injured
Federal judge's son, 20, is shot dead and her criminal defense attorney husband is critically injured after a gunman disguised as a FedEx driver ambushed their home - four days after she was assigned a case linked to Jeffrey Epstein
The son of a federal judge has been shot dead and her husband critically wounded after they were attacked at their home by a gunman dressed as a FedEx driver.
The attack happened at the home of Esther Salas, 51, an Obama-appointed District Court judge, in North Brunswick, New Jersey, on Sunday evening.
The judge's 20-year-old son Daniel Anderl was killed, and her defense attorney husband Mark Anderl, 63, was critically injured.
Daniel, who was the couple's only child, is believed to have opened the door to the gunman at around 5pm. He was shot 'in the heart' immediately, according to friends of the family.
His father Mark was then shot several times when he went to the front door to see what had happened. The gunman fled.
Judge Esther Salas was in the basement of her home when the gunman arrived. Her 20-year-old son Daniel (far right) answered the door to the assailant, who was dressed as a FedEx driver, and was shot in the heart. His father Mark (center) went to the door to see what had happened and was shot multiple times. Mark is in the hospital in critical condition
The judge and her family were the targets of an assassination attempt on Sunday evening at their home in North Brunswick Township, New Jersey. The house is pictured on Monday morning
Judge Salas had recently been assigned to a civil financial fraud case tied to Jeffrey Epstein.
It was brought by Deutsche Bank investors who claim the bank made false and misleading statements about its anti-money laundering policies and failed to monitor 'high-risk' customers including convicted sex offender billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
Earlier this month the bank agreed to pay a $150million fine for continuing to work with Epstein after he was convicted of soliciting underage prostitutes in 2008.
Judge Salas also sent TV stars Teresa and Joe Giudice from the Real Housewives of New Jersey to jail for tax evasion and fraud.
It's unclear whether her husband is actively involved in any cases.
Friends say she often made remarks about her job making her a target for attacks but that recently, she was not concerned.
'As a judge, she had threats from time to time, but everyone is saying that recently there had not been any,' Francis 'Mac' Womack, the mayor of North Brunswick, New Jersey, told The Washington Post.
'She had some high-profile cases, and she was always a little concerned,' Marion Costanza, who lives three doors down from the family, said.
Anderl was a prosecutor for 10 years before switching to private practice.
During his time in the prosecutor's office, he tried more than 100 cases including 33 murder trials. , said that Daniel was 'shot through the heart'.Mark is reportedly in critical but stable condition at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick.
Judge Salas is believed to have been in the basement of the home during the shooting and was unharmed in the attack.
Neighbors told MyCentralJersey that police were knocking on doors asking for any security video footage of the area.
'They are still here, not just the police but the FBI, there are agents all over the place,' one woman told the news outlet. 'It's unbelievable what is going on.'
Federal judge's son, 20, is shot dead and her criminal defense attorney husband is critically injured after a gunman disguised as a FedEx driver ambushed their home - four days after she was assigned a case linked to Jeffrey Epstein - Scoopy Web
